Consider a two-dimensional stratified fluid of sufficiently slowly varying background density ρb(z) that small-amplitude vertical-velocity perturbations w(x,z,t) can be assumed to satisfy the linear equation
∇2(∂t2∂2w)+N2(z)∂x2∂2w=0, where N2=ρ0−gdzdρb
and ρ0 is a constant. The background density profile is such that N2 is piecewise constant with N2=N02>0 for ∣z∣>L and with N2=0 in a layer ∣z∣<L of uniform density ρ0.
A monochromatic internal wave of amplitude AI is incident on the intermediate layer from z=−∞, and produces velocity perturbations of the form
w(x,z,t)=w(z)ei(kx−ωt)
where k>0 and 0<ω<N0.
(a) Show that the vertical variations have the form
w(z)=⎩⎪⎪⎨⎪⎪⎧AIexp[−im(z+L)]+ARexp[im(z+L)] for z<−LBCcoshkz+BSsinhkzATexp[−im(z−L)] for ∣z∣<L for z>L
where AR,BC,BS and AT are (in general) complex amplitudes and
m=kω2N02−1
In particular, you should justify the choice of signs for the coefficients involving m.
(b) What are the appropriate boundary conditions to impose on wat z=±L to determine the unknown amplitudes?
(c) Apply these boundary conditions to show that
AIAT=2imkcosh2α+(k2−m2)sinh2α2imk,
where α=kL.
(d) Hence show that
∣∣∣∣∣AIAT∣∣∣∣∣2=[1+(sin2ψsinh2α)2]−1
where ψ is the angle between the incident wavevector and the downward vertical.